


Do You Even Care?

by BunnyJess



Category: Batman (Comics), DCU, Red Hood and the Outlaws (Comics)
Genre: Abusive Family, Angst, Angst with a Happy Ending, Bad Brother Damian Wayne, Bad Brother Dick Grayson, Bruce Wayne is Bad at Feelings, Bruce Wayne is a Bad Parent, College Student Jason Todd, Emotional Abuse, Emotional Manipulation, F/F, Family refusing to take no for an answer, Fluff, Gen, Good Parent Talia al Ghul, Happy Birthday Jason Todd, Jason Todd Birthday, Manipulation, Manipulative Family, Manipulative Relationship, PAmela Isley is a Good Mom, hinted Talia al Ghul/Selina Kyle, selina kyle is a good mom
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-08-18
Updated: 2020-08-18
Packaged: 2021-03-05 20:00:41
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings, No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,400
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/25970977
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/BunnyJess/pseuds/BunnyJess
Summary: Jason just wants to spend his birthday how he wants. A nice, relaxing day with his friends. If only the Bats would take no for an answer and understand that he doesn't want to spend it with them. When they threaten to call Alfred all of Jason's plans change. There are only three women who will do anything for him, three members of his family he can rely on to help and listen. Luckily they're prepared to help.
Comments: 13
Kudos: 209





	Do You Even Care?

**Author's Note:**

  * For [Kal_No_Comfort_Only_Angst](https://archiveofourown.org/users/Kal_No_Comfort_Only_Angst/gifts).



> A bunch of us were talking about how much we hate Jason being manipulated into things by the Bats, them resorting to "we'll call Alfred" and then Jason giving in. Mari then thought up a prompt that was too good to pass up. This was the prompt:  
> It's Jason birthday and it's one of those days where he feels stretched thin and stressed either because of his night time work or because the Batfam have been increasingly annoying.  
> He wants to spend his birthday QUIETLY. No pretend family, maybe one or two friends he can trust and just spend the day in a mindless state so he doesn't have to think about the bullshit in his life.   
> But no, the Bat family want him to come and they badger him ceaselessly and it's upsetting him more and more to the point that the moment that they call Alfred?  
> He hangs up, he packs his shit and leaves. If they don't want to respect his wishes, fine. Just shows how much they care and consider his feelings and person.

It started with a phone call, innocent enough really to most people. Jason however, wasn’t most people and could tell what the call would bring before he’d even answered. He just hoped this year they’d respect his wishes.

This year for his birthday Jason had planned a day where he could just be normal. No worrying about aliens or traffickers or the end of the world. There was a performance in Robinson Park that had gotten permission from Ivy which he had tickets to. He’d arranged to meet up with the couple of friends from one of the Lit courses at GU, where his former family still didn’t know he was enrolled, to see the performance and then they were all going back to his for video games, movies, and take out. No pressure. No guilt. No heroics. Just being able to be a regular twenty-five-year-old.

Except the universe ~~the Batfamily~~ had other ideas. The phone calls starting bright and early as they knew Jason had opted out of patrol for the previous night.

First to call was Barbara.

“Jason, happy birthday!” She cheerily sang down the line.

“Morning Babs,” wariness creeping into Jason’s tone already. Barbara never phoned unless they needed help with something.

There was an awkward silence until Barbara coughed. “So, when should we expect to see you for the late lunch today?” That same damn cheeriness in her voice.

“You won’t. I’ve got plans.” With that he hung up and flopped back into bed. He was going to enjoy his lay-in even if he had to be awake for it, damn it!

There wasn’t another call until about an hour later. This one coming from Damian. The youngest of the Bats was insufferable and they’d never really gotten along. Talia considering Jason her eldest didn’t help matters either.

“Todd. You are required to attend lunch today to celebrate your birth.” The late teen snarled out as soon as Jason answered.

“I’m not coming, I’ve got plans.” Jason repeated. Rolling his eyes despite Damian not there to see.

“It would mean a great deal to father and Richard if you were there.” He returned with more venom than usual.

Jason considered how much he wanted to drag this out just to annoy Damian when he realised he didn’t have to. It was his birthday, his day. He could do what he liked. As such, Jason hung up without replying.

A low level anger was starting to spark to life. Twice now his wishes had been ignored. Twice now had his former family refused to take no as an answer. A fleeting worry for their partners flirting through his mind until he remembered almost all of them were with metas who didn’t take any of their shit.

Stepping out of the shower and wrapping a towel around his waist, Jason considered what to do about his hair. He could style it, tame the curls and try to look semi-neat. Only, they reminded him of Catherine. He might not have been hers biologically but they’d both had curls that bounced and took little effort to tidy.

Decision made he strolled through to the kitchen. Pulling his breakfast from the oven as the timer rang just as he stepped across the threshold. The baked eggs with spicy tomato sauce and chunks of smoked mackerel were cooked perfectly and his stomach gave a happy growl in agreement.

As he reached to grab his phone it began to ring. A tone he knew all too well as he wanted to avoid the caller the most echoing around his kitchen.

He swiped answer and put the phone between his shoulder and ear.

“Happy birthday JayLad.” Bruce’s smooth voice said as soon as Jason answered.

“No, B. I’ve already told Babs and Damian that I’ve made plans.” A crestfallen little sigh came through the line. Freezing Jason in place as guilt slowly began to build

“You’re always welcome in the house son. We just want to celebrate you.” Bruce sounded like a father at the end of his rope.

It wasn’t fair. Why couldn’t they just see that all he wanted was to spend the day doing what he wanted? If that didn’t involve them, so be it, why did they have to push.

Just as he’d done with Barbara and Damian, Jason hung up the phone. Throwing it onto the sofa as he looked down at his now lukewarm breakfast.

_Great, they’ve already started ruining my day!_

Throwing on a clean t-shirt, a simple nerdy tee that the slogan _I’ve got PRIDE in defeating your PREJUDICE!_ across the front and had been a gift last year from one of the working girls who knew him as a kid and so remembered his birthday every year. Always calling herself his older sister. He understood why she did what she did, she was a high earning escort in the upper classes but regularly came down to The Alley to teach the rest self defence with Jason. Hanging around on her nights off to protect them. Joining Jason in slipping them extra money when she could.

He paired it with a pair of grey jeans. The soft denim of the Levi’s always soothing to the itch under his skin from the Pit. Showing him why he’d splashed out on them for his days as a normal person every time he slipped into them. They hugged his ass and thighs while being loose enough around the ankles to hide a blade.

Converse, a bright rainbow pair curtesy of one of the friends he was meeting at the park, came after. They’d been a gag gift and Leo hadn’t thought he’d wear them after they found out Jason was demisexual with leanings towards men. Ze didn’t think Jason would incorporate colour into his otherwise monochrome and red wardrobe.

Just as Jason was grabbing his red hoody, his phone rang again. Shouting out a few choice curse words he reluctantly answered. If he didn’t they’d just keep ringing.

“Little Wing!” Dick seemed to shout down the line.

Jason pulled the phone away from his ear and spoke clear enough he could be heard. “What Dickface? I’m just on my way out.”

“Oh good! We’ll see you soon then and I’ll give you a proper happy birthday then. So glad you’re coming.” His older brother continued to talk loud enough to be heard even without the phone near his ear.

“Nope. I’ve got plans, as I’ve already said today. I am not fucking coming!” Jason snapped one final time.

He could hear the sharp intake of breath from Dick. Whether it was over the cursing or the refusal, Jason didn’t know and didn’t care. It was his day, he would spend it how he wanted.

“Fine, be that way. I’ll just get Alfred to call you.” Dick snapped out. That hair trigger temper flaring to life.

Jason hung up and stormed out of his flat, only just remembering to lock up on the way. He turned off his phone and threw it under the seat of his bike. Climbing on and zooming towards the park. He had one woman to see before he could get out of this hellhole of a city and maybe, just maybe, get to spend the day his own way.

There was a thicket of trees in the centre of the park where most people refused to enter. It was where the city had allowed Ivy to live after her parole as she offered to maintain all the green of the city for free. One silver birch stood out from the rest, its trunk differentiating it.

He tapped out a small sequence and watched as a pathway opened up. Walking quickly into it, not once jumping as the entrance closed up after him.

Coming to the open centre he found Pamela Isley sitting at a small table. A gift sitting in its centre and two teacups already laid out.

The woman stood and embraced Jason once he was close enough. Pressing a kiss to his cheek and then pulling back to look him over. She chuckled at his tee and waved for him to join her.

“What brings you by Buttercup?” She asked, no judgement or guilt in the question. “I wasn’t sure you’d stop by before the performance.”

Jason blushed at the nickname he’d earned from her as a child. Their relationship going back further than any of the Bats knew. If she’d been reformed back then he’d probably never have ended up with Bruce.

“Yeah about that,” he ran a hand through his hair and then picked up the cup of herbal tea. “Fucking Bats have been pressuring me to come to theirs even though I told them I had plans every time they phoned. It’s only been today they’ve been calling too. Pretended I hadn’t existed for the past month and now, just because it’s an excuse to get together, they’re calling constantly.”

Monkshood sprouted around them, bright colours blooming to life as pure rage exploded in Pamela. How dare those bastards treat her boy that way. “How can I help?” She laid her hand over his and gave it a squeeze. Grounding them both in that moment.

“Can you let Leo and everyone know I won’t be coming. I’m getting out of the city.” He didn’t look at Pamela as he spoke. Too worried she’d refuse and he’d have to spend longer dealing with the Bats.

“Anything for you. Now, happy birthday,” she handed the gift to him as they rose from the table. Both understanding he would be leaving straight away to get away from the people who only considered him family when it was convenient. “Central Park?” She asked as she stroked one of the leaves on the vines that made up the walls of her home. When Jason nodded she kissed him on the head and let the green take him. Transporting him through to Central Park in much the same way her and Swampy travelled.

Jason opened his eyes and gazed around the familiar park. His bike was sitting on the path beside him and the quiet area he’d come out in was close to one of the exits. He turned around and whispered to one of the flowers. “Thanks Mom.” He night never be able to call her that to her face, too many parents having let him down but both knew the relationship they had.

He wheeled the bike out of the park and climbed on. Kickstarting it as he fastened his helmet. Time to go see the only other family he’d want to see on his birthday.

Knocking at the penthouse door always made him feel small and unwelcome. The suspicious looks from the guards not helping his anxious fidgeting. The door swung open and he breathed a sigh of relief.

Jason fell into the arms of the woman who’d answered. Burying his face in her neck and breathing in the spiced yet floral perfume she always wore.

“I’d hoped this year would be different Habibi.” Talia al Ghul said as she ran one hand up and down his back and the other held the back of his neck securely.

Biting back a sob Jason shook his head. Every year, every year the Bats couldn’t accept that Jason wanted to spend his birthday doing what he wanted. Every year he’d ended up spending it with one of his three moms, always Talia as she was out of Gotham and Robinson Park would be the first place the Bats looked. He just wanted one year with his friends, was that too much to ask.

“Who?” She asked, knowing it was the Bats but wanting specifics.

Jason quickly reeled off who had called and that they’d threatened to sic Alfred on him. The butler, Bruce, and even Damian earning a scoff from her. Her arms tightening around her son.

The penthouse was gorgeous. Floor to ceiling windows, open spaces, and calming colours. All combined with comfortable furniture.

Talia led her eldest to his room and directed him to change into sweats so they could spend the day lazing around. It was one of the few days she took off completely. No calls, no business interruptions, and her guards knew death awaited them if they interrupted for anything less than life or death. Wandering off to grab both their favourite comfort foods and placing them in front of the sofa.

Once changed, keeping his tee on because it had made Pam chuckle, he walked over to his favourite sofa and slumped into the cushions. He immediately tugged the blanket from the kotatsu over his legs and slumped against Talia after she sat beside him.

It might not be the day he’d planned, and he had already started plotting ways to make it up to his friends, but it was pretty relaxing. Now the annoyance of the Bats was far away. Just him and one of his parents, watching classic films and enjoying their day off from their strict diets.

He’d just started to doze when the door opened. There was no reaction from the man as two other people joined him. The fresh, clean perfume he’d gotten one of the women for Christmas adding to the room along with the naturally earthy scent from the other.

Selina and Pamela settle on the same sofa, Pamela tucked into Jason’s other side while Selina curled into Talia’s. His moms, his family, were all there. Willing to do what he wanted and not push their ideas on him.

Selina reached over her lover and scratched her nails through Jason’s hair. He leaned into the touch and sighed. “Happy birthday kitten. We weren’t going to let you feel forced away from us for another year.” She said quietly as his eyes began to drop closed. The green of his right eye looking less neon than usual and closer to teal, almost matching the clear blue of his left. Catching the white streak just right of centre and pushing it back into his curls.

“I won’t allow them to deny you your rights any longer.” Talia reassured.

Jason fell asleep surrounded by his parents. Each having come into his life at different times but all meaning just as much to him. The Bats would never understand that he didn’t need them as family, he had his own and they respected his birthday desires.

**Author's Note:**

> Hope you all enjoy this. It's late for Jason's birthday because I didn't finish it until 17/08 ><


End file.
